[PurestGuava]

You're trading your attention for entertainment you don't otherwise have to pay for.

[anon7000]

Not true, cable TV runs ads and costs money. Many sports channels cost money in a cable package and still have ads. The *paid* Netflix plans have ads now.

It’s pretty clear that companies can’t stop salivating over how lucrative ads are, and will continue to shove ads down our throats inside of paid products as long as we live.

[PurestGuava]

OK, but we're very specifically discussing YouTube here, which as discussed, you don't have to pay for; but if you do, you don't see ads.

[Workaccount2]

Ad subsidized is not the same as ad free.

Many hybrid products/services exist to lower costs by taking on some ads. The low tier Netflix plans and $200 smart TVs are examples of this.

Sports TV is just a monopolist scam though.

[owisd]

You do in the end because you're buying the products that are funding the ads.

[account42]

Would we have to pay for the cat videos and other things people currently share on youtube because it's the dominant platform. The creators of these are generally not paid.